Home 1911 Pistols Project 1 – Ambi-Safety Comes Loose

Project 1 – Ambi-Safety Comes Loose

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Wilson Project 1 Ambi-Safety comes loose.
Wilson Project 1 Ambi-Safety comes loose.

The ambi-safety on the Project 1 started coming loose. Not from shooting it, but carrying it. After about a month or so, I noticed it started happening. 

Special note: The day I took these pics, the temp was minus 5 and I was wearing this Orvis brand, cold weather, polyester, super sweater thing. Well…it shed all over the gun. Didn’t really notice how bad it looked until after I had taken the pics; and subsequently fixed the safety. Whoops. 

Wilson Project 1 Ambi-Safety comes loose.
Screw backing out. Safety flush.

Over the past 30 years I have never run ambi-safeties on my 1911’s because the tongue-n-groove design could come apart under use. This Wilson cross-screw design allows the user to tighten or torque the two sides together. 

Before running this gun, I knew something would come up with the safety design. Either it staying together or me not knowing how it comes apart. 

Wilson Project 1 Ambi-Safety comes loose.
Screw and safety out of position.

So after witnessing the screw backing out, the “how” it works became apparent. As did the solution to fix it. I just put a VERY SMALL dab of BLUE loctite (243) on a section of the screw threads. Been two weeks and hasn’t been a problem since. 

We will see if the blue loctite is too much for these small screw threads. Again, I used just a little. Should it not work out and give me trouble, I will switch to purple loctite (222). 

Wilson Project 1 Ambi-Safety comes loose.
View from side. Appendix rig. JM Custom Kydex.

Final Note: For those who don’t know about different loctites, don’t use red (the most common). Because if you do, you’ll end up needing to take a torch to the back of the gun to break it loose. Or even worse, having to send the whole gun back to Wilson to cut the safeties off. 

Jerry Rig Note: If you are in a pinch, don’t have access to any kind of loctite. A trick we used to use back in the day on 1911 grip screws was…wait for it…your girlfriend’s [or boyfriend’s – we don’t judge] nail polish. Clear nail polish being the idea choice.

It will foul the treads sufficiently enough to capture small screws, and is obliterated by acetone if you need it 100% gone. 

 

 

Sincerely,

Marky

www.John1911.com

“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”

 

Marky
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